CAPSULES - News and Opportunities for Christians Doing Creation Justice
Winter 2016

 NEWS
The Paris Agreement: What's Next? - Mary Minette, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (January 27, 2016) 
Thou Shalt Not Toss Food - NPR News (January 19, 2016) Creation Justice community members are among those leading the charge to prevent food waste. PC(USA) Ferncliff Camp & Conference Center, ELCA & PC(USA) Parroquia San Jose, & UCC Plymouth Congregational in Minneapolis get shout outs from NPR.
Religious Leaders Welcome Efforts to Curb Methane Pollution - Creation Justice Ministries (January 22, 2016) The Department of Interior proposed new actions to curb methane emissions on public and tribal lands. Read responses Christian faith leaders of Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, and Utah.

SPOTLIGHT: Christian Communities Respond to the Flint Water Crisis
(Creation Justice Ministries will update this as more news becomes available.)
Christian Communities Call on Government to Act Swiftly to Heal Injuries Inflicted on the People of Flint, Michigan Creation Justice Ministries (February 8, 2016)
National Baptist Convention of America letter to their members regarding the Flint water crisis (February 11, 2016)
​West Virginia Council of Churches  sends letter of solidarity. They know what it is like to have poisoned water. (February 9, 2016)
​National Council of Churches Podcast: Rev. Robert Blake of Vernon Chapel African Methodist Episcopal in Flint, MI & Shantha Ready Alonso of Creation Justice Ministries on the Flint Water Tragedy
Advocacy Alert: Support Federal Government Funding for Flint Relief Efforts - Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (February 1, 2016)
​Three Things You Can Do for Flint - Rev. Brooks Berndt, United Church of Christ (January 22, 2016)
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance is regularly updating on relief efforts.
​Week of Compassion responds with clean water deliveries.
​Episcopal Church considers long term solutions for Flint.
​Bishop's Appeal from the United Methodist Michigan Conference supports the United Methodist Committee on Relief.
​Read about one church's experience as a water distribution center: First Church of the Brethren in Flint

GET INVOLVED
It's time to start making plans to celebrate Earth Day Sunday 2016 in your congregation. Earth Day Sunday can be recognized on the Sunday before or after Earth Day: April 17 or 24. Earth Day Sunday 2016's theme is Care for God's Creatures. As always, it includes liturgical resources, Bible study material, and invitations to take action. Download it now. Please consider making a donation.

The Arctic Refuge is being threatened by a combination of climate change and development pressures. Alaska Natives depend on the Arctic Refuge for their spiritual and physical wellbeing, and have called for its protection for generations. Stand with Alaska Natives to protect the Arctic Refuge by signing and sharing this petition.

RESOURCES
Lent is around the corner, and Christian artist Mary Button has created a Stations of the Cross: Climate Change resource that is absolutely beautiful. Purchase coloring books, poster-size coloring prints, and downloads for as little as $10.

​Presbyterian Church (USA) is offering a Tread Lightly for Lenten action-reflection calendar.

​Eco-Spirituality offers a Lenten devotional focused on Pope Francis's encyclical, Laudato Si'.

​God's Earth is Sacred is a compilation of insights from Christian theologians and eco-practitioners. Available now on Kindle.

​Find a compilation of news clips, videos, and educational resources from the Episcopal Church, PC(USA), ELCA, United Methodist Church, and others from the COP 21 Paris Climate Negotiations at Creation Justice Ministries' Storify.

​Eco-America's Blessed Tomorrow program, for which Creation Justice Ministries is a co-founding partner, just released a climate change messaging research report. Read the report.

​Find information about the Christian Food Movement at a new site curated by Episcopal priest Rev. Nurya Love Parish.

STORIES OF HOPE
First Christian Church in Black Mountain, Oregon has gone solar! Read about how they did it.

​Retired United Methodist pastor, poet, and songwriter Rev. John Pitney is building a net zero energy house in McMinnville, Oregon. He invites anyone who wants to learn from him about how to build net zero to get in touch with him. See his house.

​Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King was pastor until 1968, recognized Martin Luther King day by organizing "Street Teams for Energy Efficiency." See the photos on Facebook.

EVENTS
Power Your Home with Wind: Join Groundswell and Creation Justice Ministries for a briefing on how to switch your home energy source to wind power. Webinars will be online February 24 and March 25. Sign up at www.creationjustice.org/wind

Learn & Pray for New England's Ocean Treasures on March 12 from 1:30-3:30 in Providence, Rhode Island. Join Creation Justice Ministries and the Rhode Island Council of Churches to learn about a proposal for the first national monument in the Atlantic Ocean. After the teach-in, we will be led by Fr. Andrew George of the Greek Orthodox Church in a Blessing of the Waters ceremony. www.creationjustice.org/ocean-treasures

Save the Date: ​Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Eco-Impact Tour on April 9. Email shantha (at) creationjustice.org for more details.

United Methodist Caring for Creation Conference, which will be Friday-Saturday, April 8-9 at Decatur (Georgia) First United Methodist Church, 300 E. Ponce de Leon Ave. This year’s focus is on food systems. Keynote speakers include Norman Wirzba of Duke University, Jennifer Ayres of Emory University's Candler School of Theology, and Alice Rolls of Georgia Organics. Scholarships are available. Register today.

Ecumenical Advocacy Days 2016: April 15-18 in Washington, DC. "Lift Every Voice! Racism, Class and Power." Creation Justice Ministries is coordinating eco-justice workshops. Learn more at www.advocacydays.org
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